Rogue Shakespeare Stout

[redlem]

I do not understand the following this beer has. I found it to be a bad mix of a pale ale and a stout. The floral hop aroma was overwhelming as it warmed and the hop bitterness distasteful when mixed with the chocolate malts. It finishes dry so your mouth is dry at the end instead of the mouthwatering finish of a traditional stout.

Am I the only one who dislikes this beer?

[fidcastro]

I have voted against it in each of it's matchups in the BoBs 2002 & 2003. It's definitely not Rogue's best offering.

Fid

[steveh]

Reading the Fred Eckhardt column in the current (March, 2003) issue of all about beer, the last paragraph of another of Fred's dissertations on beer and food brought this particular thread to mind. Here's the paragraph:

"We reserved our second surprise for the finale. This was a beer/ice cream combination in which Rogue Shakespeare Stout (15 P, 6.2 percent ABV, 69 IBU), one of America's finest, was paired with Ben and Jerry's vanilla bean ice cream - as a beer float."

I can't remember the last time I tasted the Shakespeare, but I do recall sampling it at the brewery in Newport, Oregon and enjoying it. Fred's tasting took place in Portland, not a long drive from Newport - so maybe the beer just doesn't survive travel well. I'll have to seek it out for another try myself.

S.

[matt]

Its a huge selling beer in DC, which is about as far as it gets from Portland, so I can't imagine its just that it doesn't travel well. I'm sorry to hear that there are some that dislike it so much. But it certainly was described accurately in the original post, its just that those of us who like it, do so for the same reasons some don't. One of the new beer restraunts in the area has several beer float desserts, one of which is Vanilla ice-cream in Shakepeare Stout. Its pretty fantastic, but the peach sorbet in Gueze is better.

Its certainly not a beer I'm in the mood for all the time, but when I get a craving for a hoppy stout, its really the only one that fits the bill, which is ok by me because I love the stuff.

[proc]

I totally understand the hype. This is one of my all-time favorite beers. Oatmeal stouts are excellent and this one is exceptional IMO.

-proc

[batkins]

Had it today at the Horse Brass in Portland. Great stuff. :D